today’s post is going to be a mix of some recent thoughts, feelings & overall life happenings. forgive the randomness of it all.
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this weekend was such a gift of so many good things. we finally slowed down enough to enjoy the last bit of summer & this amazing place we now call home.
we added a new girl to our herd. her name is calamity & she is a nubian mix. she is as sweet & precious as they come. our good friend needed a place for her to stay so we are caring for her until her owner finds some land of her own.
we absolutely love the goats. they keep the land well trimmed while we save for a tractor & their sweet presence really adds to the farm’s charm. they run up to us when we open the gate to the pastures, nudging for hugs & snacks of corn kernels.
we have owned this place for a tad bit over a month & it already feels like ours. it has been such an exciting & challenging transition as we feel pulled in many different directions. there’s always a project to be done & the work is never finished.
i spent a good part of the day last week crying from the overwhelming amount of to do’s on my list & things undone. i choked back the tears as i ran- mind you, the only time i really ever allow myself to really process what’s in front of me. when i got into the car & drove home, i felt myself release a whole lot of junk i’ve been holding onto. i’m not necessarily sure how to share this part of our adventure with you, but it’s all so good. the tears, the busyness, the quiet, this place. it’s rewarding & it’s ours.
here’s a little piece of our place that feels like heaven among the boxes & busy pace. i come out to our porch most mornings to drink my coffee. in the evenings, we chat among the twinkle lights. the weather has been perfect so we hope to have dinners here. that is, when i begin cooking regularly again…
and of course, i must share with you my sweet nephew, oliver, who came into town with my mom & brother. he is a sweet, chunky, sunshiny baby & full of absolute joy. we love him so!
have a wonderful start to your week, friends!
love,
natalie
happy friday, friends!
above are some recent photos from my canning adventures in my brand spankin’ new kitchen. i am in love with the natural light that floods this space all day long. the kitchen window has me swooning. so naturally, craving time in that space with it’s delicious light only means one thing – preserving the harvest.
i have started contributing once a month to hello luvvy, a little e-magazine started by some fabulous ladies in northwest arkansas. i am passionate about supporting this creative & inspiring community of crafty individuals where i live so when they asked me to come on board & chat food, i of course said yes! there’s a wealth of diy projects, foodie recipes & fashion tips (i need to head on over to that tab… this lady needs some help!) so stop by hello luvvy & get your fix of cuteness.
while you’re there, check out my three favorite ways to preserve the summer harvest!
love,
natalie
about 12 weeks ago, my dear friend, kara, & i put feet to pavement in an effort to train for our first ever 5k.
this decision was sparked by our participation in a get healthy experimental collective through our church (experimental collectives are kind of like “small groups” or “community groups” except we try to do stuff in hopes of enriching our lives, the lives of others & our walk with jesus). we had been walking together each day for over a month when we decided to start running.
the only hang-up? we weren’t runners. we were awkward, uncoordinated, crafty-types with not one athletic bone in our bodies. or at least that’s what we told ourselves.
we both downloaded the couch to 5k app on our iphones & began the first day. we ran for 90 seconds & almost passed out, but we did it. & we kept doing it. my hands were high to the heavens when we ran our first five minutes straight. i took a gloriously sweaty picture of us when we ran our first twenty minutes. distance didn’t matter in the beginning. we didn’t care about minutes per mile. we only cared about finishing & finishing together.
the couch to 5k program has been a life-changer for me. i get all misty-eyed just thinking about how radically different i feel now than 12 weeks ago. i have lost some weight, a substantial amount of inches & that nagging back pain. i also feel lighter, happier & am better able to control my moods. i am that person who can say, “i got my life back.”
the couch to 5k program inspires you to keep going. it creates goals that are achievable. when i tried to run before, i would get really bummed out if i couldn’t run a mile on my first try. that’s just ridiculous! the couch to 5k program allows you to let go of those self-made, unachievable goals & set your mind to something that is created by trainers who understand where you are & how you can get to that awesome 5k mark.
after over two months of training, we crossed the finished line of our first 5k. those many weeks of training three days a week, on summer vacations, in the heat of the day, waking up early to meet each other at the corner, & running in the rain were absolutely worth it. we ran the entire time & it felt gloriously good.
we are the awkward, uncoordinated, crafty-type runners. since our success with our first 5k, we have downloaded the couch to 10k app. we are also tracking our miles/time with runkeeper. we are up to 4 miles right now! it’s an addiction.
here are a few tips on getting started (if we did it, you can do it! i promise.):
+ download the couch to 5k app or print off the program from your home computer.
+ find a running partner. kara is the most dependable person i have ever met & we have formed such a rich friendship from being vulnerable together.
+ commit to running three times a week. pick a time that works best for you & stick to it. if you miss a day, wake up early & do it the next. just keep going without guilt.
+ tell others. i have shared my running journey on my personal facebook page, with friends & through my personal IG hashtag #nataliegetsfit . it keeps you accountable, inspires others & allows you to gain some great input from other fellow runners.
+ eat well, drink more water & sleep! how you run is a direct result of what you put into your body. do these three things each day & you will perform better. i have learned this over time & it feels like some serious punishment when i run after a day of not picking up a glass or water.
+ love yourself in the now. love who you are & what you can do now. don’t wish for something you aren’t or what you might be in the future. enjoy & savor the now.
happy monday, friends!
love,
natalie